Alexandra Burke to star in The Bodyguard (and the other X Factor contestants who have turned to the West End)

Alexandra Burke has every reason to smile – and it’s not only because of her make-up artist’s clever contouring job (Picture: Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)

Congrats are due to former X Factor champ Alexandra Burke as it is announced the Bad Boys singer has landed a role in West End musical The Bodyguard.

Pop singer Burke will take on the role of Rachel Marron, originally made famous by Whitney Houston in the 1992 Oscar-nominated movie of the same name also starring Kevin Costner.

Currently set to run until August, she will replace Beverley Knight when she leaves the show on May 31.

This isn’t the first time that Burke has appeared on the West End stage. She made a one-off performance in Les Miserables as part of BBC Children In Need’s POP Goes The Musical.

She’s not the first X Factor alumni to tackle musical theatre either. Here’s a look at some of the others who have trodden the boards…

Joe McElderry

Serial reality TV winner and Cheryl Cole’s ‘little darling’ Joe McElderry is no stranger to the West End (Picture: PA)

After beating Olly Murs to become the sixth X Factor winner in 2009, Joe McElderry took on the lead role of Tommy for a one-off performance of The Who’s rock opera.

The Geordie star also performed in Michael Jackson musical Thriller Live as part of BBC Children In Need’s POP Goes the Musical.

Shayne Ward

Shayne Ward will star in War Of The Worlds later this year (Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)

The second winner of The X Factor, Shayne Ward starred for a year as Stacee Jaxx in the West End production of Rock Of Ages. He’ll be treading the boards again this winter when he takes on the role of The Artilleryman in the final arena tour of Jeff Wayne’s The War Of The Worlds.

Brenda Edwards

Brenda Edwards dressed as her character in We Will Rock You (Picture: Tim Whitby/Getty Images)

Feisty Brenda Edwards came fourth in the 2005 series, but the powerhouse vocalist has since gone on to wow West End audiences in We Will Rock You, Chicago and Carmen Jones.

Rhydian Roberts

Rhydian Roberts has starred in many musicals over the years (Picture: Ian West/PA Wire/Press Association Images)

Welsh warbler Rhydian lost out to Leon Jackson in the fourth series of the show, but has since starred in The War Of The Worlds – Alive on Stage! and UK tours of We Will Rock You, Grease, and The Rocky Horror Show.

Two-time Dancing On Ice champion Ray Quinn is no stranger to the stage. Despite losing out on the X Factor crown to Leona Lewis in the third series, he counts roles in Grease, The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice, Dirty Dancing, and Legally Blonde among his many theatre credits.